Match Thread Northampton v Leicester

[Lako42]

He's clearly playing Ndidi there as a ****ing wake up call to the board.

He clearly also thinks he's shit as he's willing to sacrifice him to make a point rather than play him in a role that makes sense.

Anyone who thinks this will be different in an entertaining way will be disappointed.

 

[taupe]

Anyone who thinks this will be different in an entertaining way will be disappointed

And yet I was entertained by the difference but not disappointed. Is the disappointment to come?

No, I've no idea what Enzo's thinking was but I do not assume it was to make some kind of point. Not on the first game in. It took Rodgers seasons to get to there. Maybe the experiment was more with Hamza than Ndidi? For Wilf, maybe it was purely to give him game time?

Point is, conjecture is cool and makes for discussion and bantz but recognise too that there are shit loads of possible reasons for anything and a very good chance that whatever we think is wide of the mark.

 

[popillius]

And yet I was entertained by the difference but not disappointed. Is the disappointment to come?

No, I've no idea what Enzo's thinking was but I do not assume it was to make some kind of point. Not on the first game in. It took Rodgers seasons to get to there. Maybe the experiment was more with Hamza than Ndidi? For Wilf, maybe it was purely to give him game time?

Point is, conjecture is cool and makes for discussion and bantz but recognise too that there are shit loads of possible reasons for anything and a very good chance that whatever we think is wide of the mark.

Excellent post. Once again, I find my self agreeing with every word.

You're an absolute shoo-in for a TB Award this year.....

 

[Graz]

There's no way he's planning to play Ndidi as an attacking mid, chill out.

Ndidi has no attributes required for an attacking mid whatsoever - his dribbling, passing and shooting are all pretty awful.

It's clearly to get him minutes as others have said. But the fact that he was played out of position probably says more about his future here than anything...

Or conversely, maybe Maresca already rates him as a defensive mid so wanted to prioritise seeing others in that position first.

 

[M17TT C]

I think he did it just to troll Lako.

 

[camberwell fox]

I think he did it to fool us all when he real plan is to put the ****er in goal.

 

[taupe]

Or conversely, maybe Maresca already rates him as a defensive mid so wanted to prioritise seeing others in that position first

That'd be my line of thinking.

There's wibble chat about Ndidi going. How much truth is in it, who knows, but the club/Enzo will clearly have a better idea. Perhaps Enzo knows Ndidi can play the DM role but wants a better look at Hamza there. If Ndidi goes then Enzo is in a more informed position as to the options (and one isn't Drinkwater!) and maybe decides to look outside the club.

Personally, I think there's a good chance Ndidi will go (the Scandidog's blog post, - if I read it correctly! - suggests a wages issue) and Enzo is looking at life after. He learns nothing playing Ndidi at DM, and one of the purposes of these preseason games is for the manager to look, experiment and assess etc (actually, that's more than one purpose but you get my meaning)

 

[H T B]

Whatever the reason for him playing there, he did get forward quite well at times, & his offside finish was actually quite a tidy finish

 

[pork pie fox]

His contract is up in a year’s time. I can’t imagine the club wanting to lose another player for nothing, even if it’s a vastly decreased price from what it would have been a couple of years ago. I think it’s good to get minutes into him, just in case he ends up staying, but I can’t believe we’re planning for him to be around this season.

 

[Miles Away]

His contract is up in a year’s time. I can’t imagine the club wanting to lose another player for nothing, even if it’s a vastly decreased price from what it would have been a couple of years ago. I think it’s good to get minutes into him, just in case he ends up staying, but I can’t believe we’re planning for him to be around this season.

This is the one.

 

[fitz]

Reckon we could actually get some money for Ndidi. Nothing like we would have got a few years back but probably more than he's worth now.

 

[ElsieEfsie]

Praet had a very good game renewed hope? Desperately need forwards though. Marcel great positions but nervous can only get better. Castanets imperious but not a winger!

 

[londonfox]

Praet had a very good game renewed hope? Desperately need forwards though. Marcel great positions but nervous can only get better. Castanets imperious but not a winger!

I'm loving the positivity mate. But I wouldn't say anyone was imperious yesterday.

 

[Brown Nose]

Praet had a very good game renewed hope? Desperately need forwards though. Marcel great positions but nervous can only get better. Castanets imperious but not a winger!

Praet is a great example. I like him as a player but he went AWOL last season. There were some awfully inept and lazy appearances from him. Fitness and attitude just weren't acceptable. **** him.

He's also in the 2024 club of players in their final year with us. We either get rid over the next few weeks or we lose them for nothing - Praet, Iheanacho, Ndidi, Thomas, Vardy, Albrighton, Vestergaard, Choudhury.

Personally, I want to see all of them gone because they are not part of our future. We look like we're going to have a load of loanees this season and that means that whatever happens we'll need a lot of new players next summer. The last thing we need is another load of out of contract problems alongside. We'll end up having to be like Forest signing a whole new squad if we're not careful.

 

[londonfox]

Praet is a great example. I like him as a player but he went AWOL last season. There were some awfully inept and lazy appearances from him. Fitness and attitude just weren't acceptable. **** him.

He's also in the 2024 club of players in their final year with us. We either get rid over the next few weeks or we lose them for nothing - Praet, Iheanacho, Ndidi, Thomas, Vardy, Albrighton, Vestergaard, Choudhury.

Personally, I want to see all of them gone because they are not part of our future. We look like we're going to have a load of loanees this season and that means that whatever happens we'll need a lot of new players next summer. The last thing we need is another load of out of contract problems alongside. We'll end up having to be like Forest signing a whole new squad if we're not careful.

I agree. I’d be happy for them all to leave this summer.

 

[TommyK]

The bigger problem will be finding someone to take them.

 

[Bobbins]

Praet is a great example. I like him as a player but he went AWOL last season. There were some awfully inept and lazy appearances from him. Fitness and attitude just weren't acceptable. **** him.

He's also in the 2024 club of players in their final year with us. We either get rid over the next few weeks or we lose them for nothing - Praet, Iheanacho, Ndidi, Thomas, Vardy, Albrighton, Vestergaard, Choudhury.

Personally, I want to see all of them gone because they are not part of our future. We look like we're going to have a load of loanees this season and that means that whatever happens we'll need a lot of new players next summer. The last thing we need is another load of out of contract problems alongside. We'll end up having to be like Forest signing a whole new squad if we're not careful.

It wouldn’t necessarily be my strategy of choice but its one that can work. I remember a few years back when Stoke did exactly that with loan players and it got them where they needed to be - and much like Forest did - they moved on from there.